“All my life I have sacrificed everything – comfort, self-interest, happiness – to my destiny.”

Napoleon wrote this in 1807 at the height of his glory when he dispensed laws to half of Europe. And if the most famous political figure in history at his zenith could speak of his career in such melancholy tones, what must be the thoughts of lesser mortals who devote their entire lives to politics and never achieve any real acclaim?

Most Jamaicans have a very ambivalent attitude towards our politicians. On the one hand we condemn them for failing to bring any real economic growth and for having presided over one of the greatest explosions of violence ever seen in a nation not at war. In 1960 Jamaica’s per capita GDP was 49% of the world average. In 2000 it was 30%. In 1955 Jamaica’s homicide rate of 1.2 per 100,000 was less than one third of America’s 4.1. Last year it was 34.4 per 100,000, six times the USA’s 5.7.

Still most of us cannot help respecting men, who whatever else their faults, have dedicated themselves to serving their nation, sometimes at great personal cost. While Jamaican politics is clearly riddled with corruption, it is difficult to imagine that the primary motivation of those who go into politics is to get rich. For all their egoism and often later venality, most of our politicians undoubtedly start out trying to do something for their community and country.

Indeed several of our prominent men like Norman Manley and Edwin Allen have ended up very poor. Most of our leading politicians have been highly intelligent persons who would probably have become quite wealthy if they had concentrated on private affairs. And though we curse them for promoting corruption and fomenting violence, this refusal to devote themselves entirely to mammon makes it impossible not to grant most of our politicians a substantial degree of admiration.

Now we have been lamenting the quality of those who run for office in Jamaica ever since I can remember, and sometimes with justification. But a few years ago there seemed to be a change in the air. A number of highly intelligent, successful, and articulate young persons with no previous political background threw their hats into the democratic ring.

To me this was a very cheering development, for the quality of a country’s governance is directly related to the quality of those who govern. Nations with smart, hard working, and honest leaders are always more successful than those whose top officials are stupid, lazy and crooked. When its best and brightest actively reject its political system and show no interest in even attempting reform, a liberal democracy is in trouble. But if people like Wayne Chen, Wentworth Charles, and David Panton were willing to serve their country, then Jamaica’s future was not as dim as some painted it.

Unfortunately this trend seems to have been reversed. Much of the fresh young blood is leaking out of the Jamaican body politic – though naturally the more immediate rewards offered by the incumbent PNP has kept its newcomers relatively happy. David Panton’s recent resignation as the JLP Central Manchester candidate has been especially disappointing.

Party considerations aside, all Jamaicans must have been pleased to see someone with his brilliant academic background become actively involved in the affairs of his country. Indeed Dr. Panton was a political strategist’s dream – charismatic, imposing in size, brilliant in debate, possessing an impressive grasp of the issues, and to top it all married to one of the photographic women in the land. No wonder his name so often elicited the phrase “potential future Prime Minister” and that recent Stone Polls showing him with a substantial lead in his constituency.

Dr. Panton says he found it impossible to balance the demands of his job with those of active politics. Many find this explanation unsatisfactory, as he must have had an idea before choosing to run of what was required of him in both areas. Why the sudden realization that it was too much to handle? Surely, say the skeptics, this is not the whole answer. Whatever the truth, his leaving will hurt the JLP. Many felt the Dr. Panton led Generation 2000 group was the most organized element in the party. And they wonder if his resignation means G2K will go the way of previous JLP attempts to bring young talent into the party. Remember Mr. Seaga’s 1992 “green wood” initiative?

But even taken at face value Dr. Panton’s reasons for leaving seemed to betray a certain disillusionment. Because he has in effect admitted that he is no longer prepared to sacrifice as much to get into parliament and maybe the cabinet as he was when he started out. Perhaps the possible future political life he saw enfolding before him did not seem quite so attractive anymore.

As I have not spoken to him on the matter this is all speculation. But I have heard other candidates complain wearily about endless funerals and church services, distressed constituents turning up at two in the morning, tediously repeating the same speeches ad naseum, and the brain deadening disinterest of the public in substantive ideas.

Jamaican politics seems to require candidates to give their entire selves and practically ignore private affairs, virtually impoverishing all candidates without significant private means. In our tribalized atmosphere even merely declaring candidacy for one party can result in economic victimization, as when comrades refuse to support labourite stores or lawyers and vice versa. So in essence candidates are often forced them to risk their entire economic future on the prospect of perhaps one day getting a cabinet post and receiving enough in commissions to repair their financial affairs. It is a vicious circle seemingly of no one’s choosing.

No wonder even many successful politicians at the end of their careers wonder if it has all been worth it and share the lament of Simon Bolivar who cried “Those who served the revolution have ploughed the sea!” I once heard a former candidate remark in a cynical moment of disillusionment “When you see what them have to go through to get elected, them deserve anything them can get!”. Obviously he didn’t mean it, but he probably spoke the silent thoughts of many a politician.

The great paradox of course is that the arrangement we have is one entirely of our own choosing. For nearly every development in Jamaican politics since independence has been more or less a matter of public choice, and we are completely free to choose the types of leaders we want. So how come we have ended up with a system that seems to please no one? changkob@hotmail.com